Terminal device for electric



F. THORNTON, JR. TERMINAL DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC APPLIANCES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-'7, 1916- Patented July 1, 1919.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY of Pittsburgh, in the countyof Allegheny STATES PATENT omen.

ram momrroiv, at, or rrr'isnuncn, PENNSYLVANIA, assrenon ro 'wrsrmenousn ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A c'onronamon or r PENNSYLVANIA.

' mammal. DEVICE tron ELECTRIC APPLIANCES.

To all ickom it may concern: I y

Be it known that I, FRANK THORNTON, J r., a citizen of the United States, and a resident and State'of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Terminal Devices for Electrical Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to electrical appliances in which current-consuming circuits are to be connected in difl'erent combinations,

and it has special relation to electric heating apparatus in which difierent degrees of heat are obtained by variously connecting the heating coils.

The object of my invention is to-provide a terminal arrangement for apparatus ofv the above-indicated character bym'eans of which several different combinations of conductors may be readily obtained, and by of the supply circuit and I arrange the terminal contact members of the heating device in the manner shown in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is aside elevational'vievv of an electrically heated grill provided with a terminal device constructed in accordancewith my invention. Fig. 2is a fragmentary plan view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the receptacle shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 45 is a diagrammatic view showingthe arrangement of the circuits in the device of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner in which the contact members of the receptacle are connected to the supply circuit.

My invention is here illustrated as applied to an electrically heated grill comprising a frame 1 supported upon legs 2 and provided with a termlnal device 3. The terminal do; vice 3 comprises a set of five contact pins 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. four'of these five pins being arranged in line and equally spaced, as best shown in Fig. 4, while the pin lSdlS- placed from the line formed by the other the center pins 5 and 7. The contact pins 4,

I Specification of Letters Patent. Pafeflt ed July 1919, v Applicationflled Hovember 7, 1916. Serial No. 129,964. 1 i

5, 6, 7 and 8 are so spaced as to" cooperate With-the contact members of a readily attachable and detachable receptacle or connector 9' which is provided with four contact openings containing contact members WlllCh are connected 1n pairs by means of conductors 10 and 11 leading to line conduc tors (not shown) connected to a source of current.

The heating device 1 is. provided with two 8, respectively. One terminal of the coil 13' is connected to the contact pin 7 by means of a conductor 17, and the coils 12 and 13- are both connected, at '18, to a. conductor 19- which is connected to the contact pin 5. k

The method of obtaining high, medium and low heats by means ofthe above-described arrangement is best shown, in- Fig. 4.

When low heat is desired, the receptacle 9 is v attached to contact pins 7 and 8, thecoils-12 I and 13 being thereby connected in series relation. When medium heat is desired, the

receptacle 9 is attached tocontact pins 4t and 5, thereby connecting only the coil 12 in C11- cuit. If highheat is desired, the coils 12 and 13 are connected in parallel-circuit relationby attaching the receptacle 9 tothe central group of contact pins 5, 6 and 7.

' 1 My invention is not restricted to the spe cific form of electric current-consuming apparatus which I have herein shown for the purposes of illustration, and no other limitationsare to be imposed upon my invention exceptsuch claims;

I claim as my invention:

1. A terminal device. for electric current,-

as are indicated in the appended consuming apparatus comprising a plurality of contact members/dis osed in alinement and equally spaced, anot er contact member displaced from the line of the said, firstnamed contact members and disposed sub-i stantially equidistant from certain of the ceptacle that is positioned on said" contact members in a plurality of alined positions.

2. A terminal device for electric-currentconsuming apparatus comprising a plurality of contact members adapted to coopcratein selectively different combinations with a contact receptacle having only four contact .members electrically connected in pairs.

3. A terminal device for electric currentconsuming apparatus comprising a lurality of contact members disposed in a inement and-equally spaced, another contact member displaced from the line of the saidfirst named contact members and disposed substantially equidistant from certain of the said contact members, and a receptacle having only four contact members electrically connected in pairs and adapted to connect the said contact members in selectively different combinations. 7 v t 4. An electrical current-consumingdevice comprising two conductors adapted to be connected in series or parallel relation, a

terminaldevicej associated with the said conductors and comprising four alined' and equally spaced contact members and a fifthcontact member disposed substantially-equidistant from the two intermediate alined contact .members, and means cooperating with said terminal device to selectively con-' nect the contact members thereofin difl'erent combinatlons, sa1d means comprising a contact receptacle that-is located on said contact members ina plurality of alined positlons.

5. An electric current-consuming device comprisingtwo conducting coils, a terminal device comprising four alined and equally spaced contact members,.a fifth contact memher disposed substantially equidistant from the .two intermediate alined contact members, and conductors connecting the lastnamed contact member with the two outer consuming apparatus comprising a plurality -of contact members adapted to cooperate in selectively different combinations with a con- .tact receptacle, said contact members being disposed in a manner to permit the contact receptacle to be located on said contact members in'a plurality of alined'positions.

- 7. A terminal device for electric-current consuming apparatus comprising a plurality of contact members adapted to cooperate in selectively different combinations with a contact receptacle, said contact members being disposed in alinement to permit theicontact receptacle to be'located on said contact members in a plurality of alined positions. 8. In an electric-current-consuming apparatus comprising two conducting coils, a terminal device comprising a plurality oigcontact members adapted to cooperate in selectively different combinations with a contact loo receptacle, said contact members being dis-c I posed in a manner to permit the contact receptacle to be located on said contact meme bers in a plurality of alined (positions, to selectively connect the two con ucting coils in three iiferent combinations to electrically connect a source of current to only one conducting coil, to both coils in'parallel, or to both coils series to obtain three different degrees of; heat in said apparatus. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 30th day of Oct,

FRANK THORNTON, a. 

